About Us
We are tourism and marketing specialists…but we get asked to do many other types of work…so our role has expanded and we wear a few hats!
We work with a variety of different groups in the North
- Businesses
- Business Associations
- Trusts
- Community Groups
- Government Organisations
We are very passionate about Northland and the lifestyle that goes hand in hand with this region, we are very keen to be involved in any ongoing projects that will increase awareness and encourage future opportunities for our region as well as businesses and organisations within it.
We are really proud of the relationships and contacts we have built up over the past 22 years, based on integrity, good working practices and results. What you get is personalised service from our team and carefully selected partners, in all areas of Marketing, PR, and full business management.
We have been involved in the Cruise Industry for the past 12 years, and have managed the welcome for the cruise ship passengers to the Bay of Islands with local ambassadors. More recently we started working with MPI and local tangata whenua to enable people from local hapu to work as ambassadors at the cruise ships providing information on bio security. Seeing the results from this bio-security collaboration has been a highlight of the past year. Take a look here.
We have been event organisers for the past 20 years, executing social and business events. In the last 4 years we have decreased the amount of events we manage to only a few a year, the experience we gained from event management has given us the ability to look at the big picture and ensure we tick off tasks methodically.
Our overall aim is to work collaboratively with clients and partners to ensure we achieve their goals. We put in 110% and have a lot of fun along the way.
Ha aha te mea nui o tēnēi ao?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata
Meet the Team
Anika Whapshott
Anika has 23 years experience in sales and marketing within the tourism industry. She has been based in the Bay of Islands for 21 years.
After graduating university in the UK with a Bsc Hons (Marketing) she followed her passion for travel and spent a year in Africa, rode a motorbike around Australia and hitchhiked to the Bay of Islands where she fell in love with outdoor lifestyle, the temperature and the people!
She worked for 4 years with Fullers Bay of Islands her last position was International Marketing and Sales Manager for Awesome Adventures Bay of Islands and Awesome Adventures Fiji.
Anika lives in Kerikeri and has 2 children who have grown up with the company, Emily 19 and Zac 17.
Anika has been a director and partner of Blah Blah marketing and Events for 21 years and is fully involved and hands on within the company.
Steph Godsiff
Steph grew up in Hawkes Bay and went to Massey University and graduated with a degree in Psychology and a diploma in Business Management. Following that she spent 12 years in NZ, London and Europe working for large Corporations in project management, project administration and training roles specialising in product development, IT projects and risk assessment.
One of Steph’s passions is travel and she cycled the length of Central and South America, joined the masses travelling around Europe and took any opportunity to scuba dive whenever she could! Moving out of the corporate world, Steph went to work as a dive instructor in the Caribbean for 2 years, and on a visit back to NZ she passed through Paihia – fell in love with Northland and started working at Paihia Dive.
Steph lives in Haruru and has 2 children, Nicole 19 and Sam 16 who have grown up with Blah Blah Marketing.
Steph moved back into the consultancy world 21 years ago when she joined Blah Blah Marketing as a director, and is fully involved and hands on within the company.
Heather Tyson
Heather – Freelance Design Wizard & Visual Storyteller
Born and raised in Kerikeri, Heather’s love for travel has seen her live in 10 different cities and road trip her way across New Zealand and the world — soaking up inspiration along the way. After more than a decade working in print, signage, and design companies throughout Northland, she recently returned to her hometown from the wild, creative energy of Muriwai on Auckland’s west coast.
Now based back in Kerikeri with her family, Heather juggles mum life with building her freelance design business. With over 11 years of industry experience, she’s a multi-talented, independent designer who specialises in bringing brands to life through smart, cohesive visual design — from logos and print to digital and beyond.
Her superpower? Unleashing creativity with purpose — turning ideas into beautifully crafted designs that connect, inspire, and deliver results.
Jules Hargrove
Jules was born and bred in the Bay of Islands and went to school in Kerikeri. After leaving school studied at Northtech Whangarei and gained a Diploma in Business Studies, before going on to train as a Comprehensive Nurse. Jules then worked in the Paediatric Ward at Base Hospital before heading to the UK, where she spent 10 years in London working in various health-related businesses.
Jules travelled around Europe and met her now husband. They settled back in the Bay of Islands, have 2 children and a successful business in Kerikeri.
At Blah Blah Marketing, Jules is our go-to for cruise ship operations — spending most of her time managing the busy, high-energy world of cruise days at the pier. From schedules and logistics to smooth customer experiences, she handles it all.
Her superpower? Ensuring there’s no chaos — only calm — and doing it all with a smile.
Shelley Honey
Shelley – Sales, Bookings & Team Champion
With over 30 years in the tourism industry, Shelley brings a wealth of experience, energy, and local knowledge to the team. She and her husband Darryl also own and operate the popular Darryl’s Dinner Cruise, so she truly lives and breathes hospitality.
At Blah Blah Marketing, Shelley is our go-to for sales, bookings, and all things team-related — from managing the depot and staff rosters to keeping team morale sky-high. Her attention to detail is second to none, and she’s always ready for a friendly chat or to share her knowledge.
Her superpower is her ability to make sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes, always with the goal of keeping our clients — and their clients — happy.
Liz Barclay
Liz – Operations & Logistics Extraordinaire
Liz is the powerhouse behind the scenes, keeping everything running like clockwork. With a background in the defence force, she brings precision, structure, and an unshakable calm to the team. Liz manages logistics, bookings, and day-to-day operations for our clients — especially those with multi-day tours and complex schedules.
She’s all about dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, making sure no detail is missed. Her superpower? Being uber-organised and two steps ahead — always.
